James Blake

It took me a little while to jump on the James Blake bandwagon, but i sampled some stuff from the new record out on February 7th, and goddammit, i've been sucked in. It's trippy, it's spacey, and it's sexy in a really weird way, like a soul album recorded by aliens or something. At times it's like being underwater or stuck in a dream. I'm sold. Sample 11 minutes of the thing right here.

Synthesist

1970's German electronic composer Harald Grosskopf released an album at the end of that decade entitled, "Synthesist." It was way ahead of its time, considering bands like Emeralds and Oneohtrix Point Never are making similar music now. Anyway, New York label RVNG is re-issuing this electronic masterpiece with a separate record of reworkings by modern electronic composers (Oneohtrix Point Never being one of them). Should be pretty awesome. Are you ready to Krautrock?!

James Pants - Alone

Stones Throw is offering a free mp3 of the song, "Alone," from James Pants' upcoming release. Like everything else he's done, it's really hard to pin him down stylistically. He's all over the place. But, in a most awesome way. Take a listen below, and download here.


James Pants - Alone by stonesthrow

The Keep

We watched "The Keep" last night, a 1983 "horror" movie by Michael (Miami Vice) Mann. On paper, this sounds like an interesting watch: Nazis uncovering some strange power locked away in a Romanian castle, Gabriel Byrne as a Nazi commander, Sir Ian McKellen, and more smoke and soft lighting than "Manhunter," "Cat People," and "The Hunger" combined. It all kind of felt like an intense Duran Duran video. Unfortunately, aside from some visually interesting scenes, a little bit of gore, and a ridiculous monster, it's not very good...but, worth a view if you're into bad movies like i am.

And, the soundtrack by Tangerine Dream was pretty awesome, so there's that.

Miracle

Zombi main man Steve Moore teams up with experimental musician Daniel O'Sullivan to bring you Miracle. "Fluid Window," the proggy, synthy, 1980's-influenced, super-bitchin debut EP comes out on February 28th from House Anxiety. Listen to the track, "The Visitor," below.

Miracle - The Visitor by steve moore

Young Galaxy

Montreal-based disco-pop dreamscape enthusiasts Young Galaxy have a brand spanking new album (produced by Dan Lissvik of Studio) due out next month on Paper Bag Records. Sexy, sexy disco on a sprawling soundscape to sip your cocktails to. Hazaa!

Pre-order it here.

MInd Spiders

If you're like me, and you've been pining away for the late, great Jay Reatard for the last year since his untimely death, check out Mind Spiders, straight out of Denton, Texas. They have a self-titled LP out on Dirtnap Records and are just waiting to rock your beer belly with some raucous bubblegum garage rock. Hooray beer!...i mean, hooray Rock & Roll!...ok, hooray beer and Rock & Roll!

Love Sic Disco

Something In Construction is celebrating their 100th release by giving a way an exclusive 18 track compilation, "Love Sic Disco," featuring Memory Tapes, Memoryhouse, Gruff Rhys, ANR, Guards, and more. It's a great mix of indie pop. Pick it up for freezies right here.

Earth Girl Helen Brown

The newest release from Forest Family Records goes on pre-sale today. It's a soulful mix of girl group doo-wop and psychedelic R&B...or something. I'll let the label describe it better:

“Helen Brown was born in Vancouver, Canada, but raised in an Athens, Georgia-based religious cult, and was blinded in one eye from a childhood baseball injury. As an adult, she dropped out of Evergreen and traveled the country for a while as a nomadic psychedelic folksinger, before forming her first band One Eyed Tramps. For years, she lived alone in a mountaintop in southern Alaska, where she befriended a Cherokee Shaman (later revealed as a fake) who encouraged her to pursue a frustrating academic career. Rampant drug use, frequent fainting on stage, and occasional self-inflicted knife wounds on stage led to more interest in her stage antics than her music. However, a few sides did emerge in the late ’90s (recording dates unknown), which feature a unique mix of country, girl group, R&B, and ghoulishness. Crude and amateurish at best, these recordings are appreciated for their sincerity and intensity of feeling.”

So, there you have it. Pre-order here.

Hoofdriver

Deerhoof have release what is hopefully the first in a string of collaborative 7" records, teaming up with LA rapper, Busdriver to give us Hoofdriver. Weird, awesome stuff. 1000 copies were pressed, and already sold out from the label, but you can probably procure yourself a copy elsewhere. You can also purchase the mp3s here.

Bleh

I've got a fever! Unfortunately, the only prescription is NOT more cowbell.

I'm at the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell

Do you need something to get your party jumping? Do you need something to make your commute to work just a little more bearable? Das Racist have just what you need. Check out Wallpaper's bitchin' remix of "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell." It has literally been stuck in my head for the last 24 hours, and shows no sign of leaving anytime soon (take that "I Just Had Sex"). You can give the tune a listen and download here. Dig that horn line.

There's also some stand up or something on the page, but i was mesmerized by the sheer awesomeness that is a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

Film-score-palooza!

In honor of Trent Reznor winning a Golden Globe last week for his soundtrack for "The Social Network," i feel compelled to give you my Top 10 best film scores. These are the soundtracks that i can listen to over and over again, just as if they were pop records.

1. Once Upon A Time In The West - Really, you could pretty much put everything Ennio Morricone has done on this list. Everything he did from Westerns to Giallos to Horror were top notch. His scores make bad movies better, and they make good movies divine. Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West" is the director's masterpiece as well as some of Morricone's very best work. It's beautiful. It's haunting. The music actually paints a picture. You can't top this. You really can't.

2. Edward Scissorhands - Danny Elfman's score is the best thing he's ever done (runners-up being Beetlejuice and Batman). It's sad, beautiful music that always reminds me of Christmas time. Nostalgia and melancholy.

3. There Will Be Blood - This soundtrack always puts me in the darkest mood. That's not always a good thing, but it's a powerful piece of music. Jonny Greenwood really hit one out of the park here, and i expect to get more from the Radiohead guitarist in the future.

4. Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders - Finders Keepers compiled and issued the soundtrack to this Czech film a few years ago. Lubos Fiser creates a surreal soundscape comprised of village music, haunting chants, and gentle melodies. It's unbelievably good.

5. Twin Peaks - Angelo Badalamenti has done some great stuff for David Lynch. This is the best, and if you want to throw Julee Cruise into the musical mix too, then by all means do it. Moody, sexy, mysterio-music.

6. Suspiria - Goblin can do no wrong when it comes to film music (see Dawn of the Dead, Profondo Rossi, Phenomena, etc.). To think that European prog rock should set the tone for a film about witches and a ballet school seems funny, but it works so well.

7. Vampyros Lesbos - Erotica films always get the best scores. Maybe it's because you gotta have some sexy music to go along with all the sex on screen. That sounds good. "Vampyros Lesbos" is no exception. German composers Manfred Hubler and Siegfried Schwab create some groovy go-go music to get down to. To hear it is to love it.

8. Inception - A newer film, so everything hasn't quite settled completely into place yet, but the Hans Zimmer soundtrack was really the first thing to peak my interest when i saw the trailer for the film. It's perfect.

9. Being John Malkovich - The Carter Burwell score for Spike Jonzes' big screen debut feels like a sad, self-reflecting piano ballad. And that's pretty much what it is. It goes hand in hand with the film's moods and themes.

10. The Empire Strikes Back - We're talking film music here. You've got to put something by John Williams on the list. He's responsible for some of the most recognizable movie music ever put to tape (Jaws, Indiana Jones, ET, etc, etc, etc.), but this one's my favorite. It's got all the fun and adventure a space opera should have, but just like the film, the music has this kind of transitional nostalgic vibe to it. The music feels like longing for something.


So there you go. I've probably left dozens of great scores off of this list. I know i have. What should i have included? Hmm?

Strip Nude for Your Killer

The Italian movie maestros are at it again. Andrea Bianchi's Giallo-boob fest, "Strip Nude for Your Killer," has everything you would expect it to have: a groovy 1970's erotica soundtrack, bad dubbing, murder and mayhem, comically red movie blood, some good old-fashioned misogyny, and nudity! nudity! nudity! Blue Underground, i adore you.

Lonely Island

My friend Cindy recently sent me this video. New Lonely Island is 2011 ya'll! Whaddup? Here's the video for "I Just Had Sex."




And just for old time's sake, here's "On A Boat."

Nightlands

Experimental pop group Nightlands (The War On Drugs' Dave Hartley) have a new tour-only 7" out called "All The Way." It's crazy, hazy looped fun. If you've been unable to see them on tour (like me), check out some tracks from their 2010 LP, "Forget The Mantra," below.

Afrodisiaca

I love, love, love hunting for records because every once in a while i find some random gem that i've never heard of and pick up because it looks like it could be awesome. Enter John Tchicai's "Afrodisiaca," a 25- piece collective free-form jazz freak-out. Awesome fucking stuff. So, if you like jazz, or freaking out, give it a whirl.

Baths on Daytrotter

Baths put out one of my favorite records of 2010 with "Cerulean." Mastermind Will Wiesenfeld performed a wonderful session for Daytrotter, a stripped down set played mostly on piano and including three unrecorded songs. Really pretty stuff. Check it out here.

Mister Heavenly

Indie super group Mister Heavenly (ie. Honus Honus from Man Man, Nick Diamonds from Islands, Joe Plummer from Modest Mouse, and tour mate Michael Cera) have offered up a couple of tunes available for download at Sub Pop. All it will cost you is your email, and then you can bask in the glow of "doom wop," or whatever.

Trish Keenan RIP

Trish Keenan from the brilliantly awesome band Broadcast passed away on Friday from complications resulting from pneumonia and the H1N1 flu. Before she became ill, she sent a mixtape of obscure pop songs entitled "Mind Bending Motorway" to a friend of hers who has made it available online. Grab it here. She will be missed.

Yo Vanilla, kick it one time boooyyy.......

"Cool As Ice." Yeah, we watched the Vanilla Ice movie last night. What did you do? Probably something stupid. This flick's got a singing, dancing, rapping motorcycle posse (the VIP thank you very much), stupid haircuts, father daughter tensions, wackiness in a small town, ridiculous old people, Naomi Campbell, the dad from "Family Ties," a witness protection/kidnapping subplot, and montages galore. I am a better person for having seen this...

So, here are some words of wisdom straight off the box: "When a girl has a heart of stone, there's only one way to melt it. Just add ice." That's some Confucius type shit right there.

Panda Bear's Tomboy to be released in April

It took a little time, but it looks like Panda Bear's "Tomboy" LP will finally be released in April from Paw Tracks. Hazaa!

Jeans Wilder

"Nice Trash" is the new full-length LP from Jeans Wilder. Drawing from 60's doo-wop, beach pop, garage rock, and experimental noise and ambience, this one man band has crafted a really good collection of songs here. I first heard of him from a split 7" he did with Best Coast that, like pretty much every other Best Coast single, was sold out in a matter of days. Anyway, the full-length is really strong. I highly recommend it. Sample the album here, or pay for the full download.

Beans

Beans, of Anti-Pop Consortium will be releasing his latest solo effort in February, via Anticon. Guest stars galore on this one, from TV On The Radio's Tunde Adebimpe to Four Tet to Tortoise to Tobacco. Should be a pretty fantastic listen, and considering that Beans is the only MC i've ever heard use the phrase, "exploding tampons," i'm really looking forward to this one.

Kaputt video

Here is the aforementioned awesome video for Destroyer's "Kaputt." Yes. Yes. Yes.

Raekwon

New Raikwon due out in March. Hooray! Go listen to "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang" at Pitchfork.

Killin' The Vibe

Ducktails' new record "III - Arcade Dynamics" come out next week from Woodsist. Listen to the groovy tune, "Killin' The Vibe," featuring Panda Bear and Dent May on backing vocals below. Hooray!

Ducktails - Killin' The Vibe (Feat. Panda Bear) by weallwantsome1

Foosball?

Nothing's really going on today. I'm sure there's a ton of new music out there for me to find and write about, but i'm a little tired and there's just one more college football game to watch this season. Now, as much as the PAC-10 annoys the hell out of me, i'm tired of SEC supremacy, so...go Ducks.

White Ring

So, the musical side-genre that's either going to grab you by the nuts or annoy the shit out of you has been dubbed Witch House. It's been floating around the net for a little while with groups like Salem and oOooOO getting most of the attention. I gotta say, i like it. It's really slowed down keyboard/drum machine tunes with some gothic music, black metal, techno, and dirty south hip-hop thrown into the mix. Good stuff.

Which brings us to White Ring. They release an EP last month on Disaro called "Black Earth That Made Me." It's sold out, but they should be working on a full-length for release some time this year. Head over here to sample a couple of tunes. I promise it won't make you a stinky hipster.

Fuck you Seattle

Yeah, fuck you Seattle! Your coffee sucks too!

Headbangers in Ecstasy

Puro Instinct are set to release a full-length LP in February from Mexican Summer. Hooray! That's the cover art above.

Destroyer - Kaputt

Destroyer have a new album, "Kaputt," due out on January 25th from Merge. Apparently, Mr. Bejar has been taking notes from Ariel Pink and Dent May. Rather than the usual helping of indie freak-folk rock, he's airing it up a bit with synths, saxophones, and mellow groove. Think of it like a French take on the Yacht Rock cruise. At any rate, it's undeniably catchy, a great record to start 2011 off with, and the video for the title track is a must see. Scantily clad ladies, some dorky kid, beach dancers, and a whale floating from a balloon. Check it out here.

Discodeine

French duo Discodeine put together a recent 12" single featuring Pulp's Jarvis Cocker on vocals. It's a groovy little club tune, and you can listen to it here. Courtesy of DFA. If Jarvis is involved, you know it's probably cool.

Dirty Beaches - Badlands

Dirty Beaches is Alex Zhang Hungtai, a melancholy crooner who will be releasing his debut LP, "Badlands" on March 29th from Zoo Music. It's a made up of “ballads and dirges laced with murder and lament,” and it's a gorgeous piece of pop music. Go download the track, "Lord Knows Best," from GvsB. It's free and fantastic.

Geotic

Will Wiesenfeld, the creator of one of our favorite records from 2010, Baths' "Cerulean," has a new free album out from his ambient side-project, Geotic. Head over to the website to download the new "Mend" album, as well as some other goodies. Great for meditation, long baths, or extended drug use. Hooray!

Medium Head Boy

Hey! Are you in the mood for cheep beer and a migraine headache? Then come to Red 7 for free week performances tonight to see Medium Head Boy. Short bursts of sonic madness screamed at your face interspersed with movie samples. What's not to like?

LInda Perhacs

Mexican Summer is reissuing the classic 1970 acid-folk record "Parallelograms" by Linda Perhacs. It's a beautiful record, weaving folk and female vocals through the psychedelic ringer and layering sound effects throughout to create an "aural hallucination." Go here to order.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2011. I look forward to your jams and films. Try to keep the bullshit to a minimum this year. Thank you.